A very Malfoy Christmas
by Safronia
Summary: So, I'm having a lot of Draco feelings since I saw Cursed Child in London last Saturday. I blame James Howard for this. Then I read this post on Tumblr and hit me in the face. So, after a day of intense writing, here it is. It's a lot fluffier than expected.


It was a Monday morning and the head professor was scouting the Slytherin table to list all the people staying at Hogwarts for Christmas. Albus and Scorpius exchanged a relieved look. The holidays were approaching, and even if it meant two weeks without each other, it also was two weeks without being teased by Virtuous Gryffindors.  
A little light of sadness flashed in Scorpius' eyes though, it would be his first Christmas without his mother... "Just me and my dad in this huge manor" he told Albus, trying to shrug the apprehension. His friend wrapped an arm around his shoulder and squeezed it gently, knowing that no words could ease such a tragedy.

The week felt a little bit better than usual, everyone was excited to go home, and anticipating on what they would get for Christmas. Albus and Scorpius spent a lot of time huddled in the library, whispering so they wouldn't get kicked of by Mrs Pince.

They too, would talk about Christmas. Scorpius telling his friend of the Past, when it was only his father and mother, the three of them bonded by love and untarnished by the world's malice about his origins. Albus made him laugh by telling the sweet mayhem of the Christmas at the Weasley's Burrow, how Ron and Georges would bring some weird candies and hide them among the real ones. Ginny had to chase his older brother in fury, with a 50" tongue once, until they agreed to cure her. They would laugh quietly at that image.

Eventually, the end of the week arrived The two teens watched their dads exchange a tight handshake at King's Cross, and they hugged tightly before waving goodbye for as long as they could.  
Back at the Potter's, they were dining together, James bragging about his last quidditch match, Lily speaking excitedly to his mother about a unicorn she had seen in the garden. Suddenly, without thinking about it, or planning it, Albus turned to his dad and said "Could we invite the Malfoys for Christmas?" Silence fell at the table, his siblings looking at him with round eyes, and he saw his parents exchanging a startled look. It was no secret he had befriended a Malfoy but _this_ was bigger.

His dad cleared his throat. "Albus, you know we're going to the burrow this year... And Draco...well...I'm not sure Molly and Arthur would agree... The Malfoys..."

He looked at Ginny for help. A little part of Albus' mind was stunned to see his dad stammer like this. But he knew in his heart that it was a good idea, that it was _right_. He turned to his mother and started pleading but she rose her hand, stopping him mid-sentence

"Let me talk about it to mum and dad. I cannot give you an answer right now, Albus, but we'll think about it, I promise". He was about to argue some more but a look from his mother convinced him otherwise.

Later that night, Harry and Ginny were talking about their son's request. With the whole time turner incident, Harry had discovered that Draco was a good father. And even if it didn't erase what he had done as a teenager, he knew that people could evolve. Something had changed between them. Respect had grown. Ginny had sensed it too, and she was willing to ask her parents, mostly to please Albus who had seemed so hopeful. She knew Scorpius was the best friend she had wished for herself as a teenager.

Obviously, it took some convincing. Molly wasn't as ready for change as they were, and they had to explain, to convince and to coax her into it. She finally accepted. For her grandson's sake. And out of curiosity, also, if she was honest with herself.  
Albus hugged his mother fiercely when she told him the good news and then immediately ran in his room to send a howl to his friend. Harry smiled at Ginny and kissed her gently, as a thank you for always managing these things better than him.

When Scorpius received his friend's message, he couldn't believe what he was reading at first. He had to seat and read it again again until a bubble of happiness started growing in his heart and his chest, tightening his throat. But then everything popped suddenly when he thought of his dad's reaction. He would never agree to this. Christmas with the Potter-Weasley? That would be not negotiable...

He spent the whole day pacing in the manor in a gloomy manner, fidgeting at diner, to the point where he had to explain himself to his father, who had grown concerned with his uneasiness.  
Draco's face grew colder as his son told him about Albus' offer. But the look of sheer hope on his son's face prevented him from any definite answer.

It kept him awake all night, picturing in his mind what it would feel like to seat among those people he had insulted so many times as a teenager. He had thought it was a family duty to hate them, he didn't knew better at the time. He hadn't told repeatedly that The Malfoy name was everything. It was later that he had realized how jealous he was of their friendship. How desperate he had been for a close bound like theirs with someone, anyone.  
He couldn't deny this to Scorpius, not when he was already so attached to the Potter boy. He would have to suck it up and try to make a good impression.

When he told Scorpius the next day, his boy jumped in his arms for a thank you hug, taking him completely by surprise before running in his room. They hugged now, from time to time, but it was still kind of a surprise for Draco. But he definitely liked it.

Three days later, on December the 23th, here they were, standing awkwardly at the Burrow's door. Both a little bit embarrassed and afraid to ring the bell. He was about to, when the door flung open and a tall young man, with red hair came out running, almost bumping into them. He stopped dead, looked up and down at the Malfoys then yelled inside "Mom, Harry, they're here!"

Father and son heard some ruffling inside, then Molly and Harry appeared. Time stopped for a second, everyone incredulous of the situation, but then everything started again when Albus came running to jump into his friend's arms. Molly invited Draco in and he found himself in a packed room, full of kids and adults, many of them gingers, everyone talking or laughing or playing games. They all turned to greet Draco with a natural warmth that took him completely by surprise. Scorpius had already disappeared in the garden with Albus and he was left to himself.

He took a deep breath, and sat at the table, accepted the offered tea, and looked around in disbelief. Everything in this house was warm and living. Everything transpired love and a close family... It was so... Different.  
The Christmas decorations were everywhere, stars flying on the ceiling, everlasting snow falling on the huge Christmas tree whose head bowed under the low ceiling. The air smelled like hot cocoa and cinnamon and despite everything, he felt himself relax like he hadn't for a long time.

After a while, Ginny came asking if he wanted to give them a hand with all the preparations and he was grateful to be included and not just a guest sitting in a corner.  
There were too many kids for him to remember their names, and they were everywhere, running errands for their grandmother, flying on brooms outside, helping in the kitchen. It was a huge and beautiful mess.

He washed his hands then reported to Molly for his instructions. He was feeling very awkward, shifting from one foot to the other, chastising himself for being so embarrassed at his age. But this woman was obviously the master of the house, and he knew from experience she could be fierce with anyone attacking her family. _Not my daughter, you bitch_.

She stood for a while, looking at him from head to toes. Then, seemingly taking a decision, she offered a little smile and said softly "I'm very sorry about your wife". He wasn't expecting this, and couldn't say anything but nod a thank you. After that, something changed between them and the past stayed in the past. She gave him a mountain of zucchini to cut and he complied.

The evening meal was a feast. There was plenty of delicious food and everyone seemed to relax after the long day of preparation. He was seated beside Ginny and facing Ron and Hermione. He wasn't completely comfortable with the two of them. They knew his flaws and Ron wasn't as forgiving as the rest of his family... And for good reasons. He had a good time talking with Ginny though. She was witty and open-minded, and they discovered that they had a lot of common interests, in terms of books or quidditch.

At one point, when all the dessert were floating towards the table, his situation hit him. _He was having dinner at the Potter Weasley table_. Him. Draco Malfoy. He looked fondly at his son crying with laughter at one of George's joke, and marveled at the power of friendship.

The bedding was another awkward moment. The Burrow was not a huge place, and George came to him during the evening to announce that they would share a room. Scorpius would sleep with all the kids obviously, even if Draco suspected that there wouldn't be much sleeping involved and more talking or playing.  
It was also probably the first time someone outside school or his wife had seen him in his pajamas, and he hurried under the covers to avoid George's mocking look. Thank Dumbledore he hadn't taken his Slytherin outfit...

After a moment of heavy silence, George said, looking at the ceiling "Thank you for supporting Albus and Scorpius friendship. I know my nephew can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but I think your son has a good influence on him" Draco laughed softly.

"Never thought I'd hear a Malfoy could be a good influence on someone.

\- Don't be a jerk." answered George.

" I'm not. Thank you. It's been hard on Scorpius and I was dreading this first Christmas without..." He cleared his throat. "Anyway, thank you."  
George turned to the wall and Draco stayed awake for a long time, listening to the sounds of the house, both human and magical, it was so different from his huge and cold manor. And he... Liked it. Yes, he did.

He was awoken the next morning by the tramping of a dozen kids running downstairs to open their presents.  
After showering, he tied his hair into a complicated ponytail, then headed into the living room.  
The kitchen table was disappearing under a huge pile of pastries and cinnamon rolls, bacon and toasts, eggs and beans. Everything looked delicious and he told Molly who gave him a smile in return. He felt again as a teen addressing his friend's mum. It was a bit irritating.

He gave his present to Scorpius: a beautiful and old leather binded book about the evolution of spells since the Middle Ages. His son's smile was the only present he needed, but then he became so confused when Ginny and Harry offered him a box of chocolate, and Hermione a book about magical creatures.  
He had brought some candies for everyone to enjoy, but he hadn't thought there would presents involved. For the first time in his life, he actually stammered, thanking his guests and then retreated near the Christmas tree to watch the kids enjoy their moment and regain a normal pulse.  
This was all very new to him. Highly disturbing and...Nice.

After a little while, Scorpius came closer to give him a present, it was a black tie, with a small engraved snake at the bottom. He hugged him and kept him in his embrace a little longer than usual. This too, was nice.

And so, the day started. Everyone sat to eat, again. And this time Draco laughed with them. He hadn't laugh in a long time.

In the afternoon, they all went up the hill to play quidditch. Team were formed and for the first time ever, Harry and Draco played together. They played against Ron and Ginny and they ended agreeing on a tie, cause they were all so damn good.  
He could see Albus and Scorpius watching them from above, mouths slightly ajar at the sight of their fathers flying so well. George and Rose joined the game, then James and Victoire. Before long they were at least two dozens on the field, caught up in a real quidditch match, with Hermione as the referee.

The other team won, not by much, and they bowed to them, laughing and out of breath.  
They all came back inside for one last good meal. Molly had asked that everyone dress up for the occasion. The women's outfits were fluid and colorful, and the men had suited up. Draco's suit was of a dark green and he was wearing Scorpius' tie. Harry sported a black suit with a black shirt and tie and he looked smashing.  
There was a slightly confusing moment when Ginny insisted on taking a picture of the two of them, and they stood a bit awkwardly, brandishing their butterbeer glasses, before their two sons came to complete the picture.  
He went to bed that night, heavy with food and a but tipsy from the beer. His ponytail wasn't so neat, and his suit was wrinkled. But he didn't remember the last time he had so much fun.

They left the next day. Everyone came to say goodbye, tap on the back, handshakes and even a short hug from Molly that left him confused. His own mother, as much as she loved him, had never really hugged him.

To return to the cold and huge manor after being surrounded by so many people was both a relief and a disappointment. They ate in Draco's office that night, which was less conventional than the big wooden table of the dining room.  
Three days later, he received a copy of the picture from Ginny, and it was striking how happy Scorpius and him looked on it.  
He put it on his desk carefully, lost in his thoughts. So that's how it felt to be surrounded by love and warmth, to spend time among friends...even if he knew they weren't really part of this category...

Not yet?

During the next year, he had regularly been invited for dinner at the Burrow or at the Potters. Slowly, a bound had grown between them forged by their sons strong friendship. What could have been easy a long time ago now took time, there was wounds to heal and words to forget.

He was surprised to see how much Harry and him had in common. Same thing with Ginny. Hermione was still bossy but he respected that in her. Ron on the other hand was still very defensive with him, not wasting an occasion to bring up the past. But one day, as they had a little more to drink than usual, he caught up on one of Ron's remarks to him and answered bluntly "You're right, I'm sorry about that". Everyone fell silent, Ron looking at him with wide eyes. "I realize that I never really apologized for all I've done in the past. So here I am. Ron, Ginny, I'm sorry for all the insults to your family... And the slugs... Hermione I'm sorry for calling you a mudblood...it makes me sick just to think about it. And Harry, I'm sorry for all the time I made your life miserable in countless ways. I have no excuse except being an ass." His hands were clutched in front of him and his jaw was set. Everyone was looking at him in shock.

Scorpius was the first to move. He got up suddenly and came to stood behind his father, putting a hand on his shoulder which Draco held onto. Ron was the second to get up, a little pale under his freckles. He came around the table and extended his hand "Thank you for this, Draco, it means a lot" and the blond man took his hand without hesitation. Hermione got up to, then Harry and Ginny. They didn't all shake hands cause it would have been awkward, but they surrounded Draco, a hand on a shoulder, a smile, a tap on the back. And everything was said and done.

The next Christmas, the invitation came from Molly herself. And it was even better than the first time. All awkwardness was gone, they were friends now. (He was still a bit scared of Molly, but then, who wasn't?)  
This time, he had brought gifts for everyone, that Scorpius and him had chosen carefully depending on everyone's tastes. And he received more presents than the year before.

The last box he opened left him flabbergasted. It was a hand knitted, green sweater, with a D on it. Scorpius beside him had the same, with an S. They both looked at Molly, who gave them a nod and a smile. He got up, and before thinking too much, bent over and put a kiss on her cheek. Then he hurried back on his seat, feeling very red and not daring to look at anyone. He put the sweater immediately and it was soft and warm.

This year, they won the quidditch match.

This year, he sat next to Ron and talked Quidditch with him for hours, eventually joined by Ginny and Harry. It was actually Mr Weasley who sent them to bed when he discovered them still seating by the fire at 4 am.  
This year, he borrowed some books from Arthur about the Muggle world, and listened to him talking excitedly about the London tube. By the end of the evening, he knew the names of every single line.  
This year, he spent a whole afternoon playing with the younger kids outside, and discovered he liked teaching things. He told them stories of Hogwarts, not his stories, but invented ones, of goblins and ghosts. He showed them how to ride the mini brooms they had been gifted for Christmas. Scorpius and Albus joined him after a while and they all went gnomes hunting (they would chase them off, never catching them, of course.)

This year, they thought they'd be invited for two days. They stayed six.

The next year, although he did love the Burrow, Draco didn't think he could take another year of George's intense snoring for a week. He also knew Molly wasn't getting any younger, and although they all helped, it was a lot to organize. And he wanted to return the favor.

He asked Scorpius what he thought of his idea and was met with the biggest explosion of joy he had ever seen from his son. His boy was literally dancing in the living room and singing some weird muggle song. The very next day, last day of summer, they started writing the personal invitations for each guests. It was a bit early of course, but Scorpius was about to go back to school and they wanted to do it together.  
By the end of October all the mail had been sent and he began to wait for the answers, watching out for owls. They came quickly. One by one, often with an enthusiastic note, everyone said yes.  
Draco could have tap dance in his living room.

He started preparing the manor two weeks in advance. He hired people to clean everything. He cleared a lot of old stuffs he had kept as a family obligation.  
Harry, Ron and Hermione hadn't say anything, but he remembered all too well the last time they had been here. Bad times, bad memories. He didn't want everything to come in the way of his Christmas.

Scorpius came home a few days before everyone, and together they decorated the house from floor to ceiling. Covering the cold black tiles with warm carpets, decorating the walls with house banners, of _each_ house. They put up a huge tree in the living room and decorated it with little snowmen riding moving sleigh, everlasting candles and little flying stars.  
Draco wanted it to be gorgeous, but didn't want to show off his wealth. He also made sure that food was available but not ready, cause he knew they all loved cooking together.

And finally, it was time. Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione and the kids arrived first. The stayed quietly in the living room at first, looking around, while Draco was anxiously waiting for a remark that would bring up the past he had tried so hard to cover. He was beginning to think this was all a very bad idea when Bill's youngest came running into the room and towards him yelling "Uncle Draco!" He was so surprised that he dropped the glass he was bringing to Hermione (who Wingardium Leviosaed it). The kid jumped in his arms and hugged him fiercely. And there he was, standing like an idiot in the living room, completely speechless because of a kid who loved him. Harry had the biggest smile on his face and Ron pated him in the back, laughing at his amazment.

After that, everything went smoothly. They were all glad to have a room of their own, couples together, and the kids all huddled in the big library, with mattresses on the floor and bug fluffy duvets to keep them warm. They wouldn't sleep separately anyway.

Everything was different, everything was the same. They ate too much. Draco and Scorpius got new sweaters. They celebrated Rose's quidditch successes, and Harry's promotion at the Ministry. It began to feel...familiar.

It was either late at night or early morning, Draco and Harry were cleaning the meal leftovers in a comfortable silence. "Thank you, for inviting us" said Harry with a smile. "Thank you for coming" answered Draco. "Well, it's Christmas, we have to celebrate it with the whole family, you know…?" and the blond man smiled at him, and nodded, incapable of speaking at the moment.

From this day on, the Potter-Weasley-Malfoy Christmas has been celebrated at Malfoy Manor every single year, except for the one when Molly was too old to move, and they all huddled in the Burrow again, to be with her and Arthur, one last time.

Sometimes, they would also meet in the Summer, and the Manor would echo with sun and laughter for weeks. But Christmas always remained Draco's favorite. Because one day, a stubborn kid asked his parents to take a risk, for his best friend, and he had gained a family.


End file.
